The News Aggregator

India may ‘test our resolve’ if it desires, says Asif

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday said that India may test Pakistanâ€™s resolve if that is what it wishes to do.

The foreign minister was responding to a recent statement by the Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, who, according to Indian media outlets, had said the force was ready to call Pakistan’s ‘nuclear bluff’ and cross the border to carry out any operation if asked by the government.

â€œVery irresponsible statement by Indian Army Chief,not befitting his office. Amounts to invitation for nuclear encounter. If that is what they desire, they are welcome to test our resolve.The general’s doubt would swiftly be removed, inshallah,â€� tweeted Asif.Â Â

Spokesperson of the Foreign Office Dr Mohammad Faisal also termed the Indian army chief’s statement as “irresponsible.”Â

“The threatening and irresponsible statement by the Indian Army Chief today is representative of a sinister mindset that has taken hold of India. Pakistan has demonstrated deterrence capability,” tweeted Dr Faisal.Â

The foreign office spokesperson further said that Pakistan is ‘fully capable of defending itself’.

“We will call the [nuclear] bluff of Pakistan. If we will have to really confront, and a task is given to us, we are not going to say we cannot cross the border because they have nuclear weapons. We will have to call their nuclear bluff,” General Rawat had said at a press conference on January 12.

The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor Saturday earlier today had responded to the Indian army chief’s ‘nuclear bluff’ assertion saying that such statements are unbecoming from a person of a responsible stature.

Speaking to the state television’s world service, the Pakistani military spokesman had said: “We believe COAS is a very responsible appointment and four-star is a rank with age-long experience and maturity.”